The Tulsa Golden Hurricane (3-5, 1-3 AAC) take on the UAB Blazers (1-6, 0-4) in American Athletic Conference action on Saturday, Nov. 2nd. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. ET, and the game can be seen live on ESPN+.
These teams are a combines 1-7 in conference play, so we could be in for an ugly game.
The Blazers have given up at least 30 points in 6 of their 7 games this season, while the Golden Hurricane have struggled to get things going offensively for most of the season.
UAB is listed as a 3-point favorite with the over/under set at 57.5.
Both teams come into this one in the midst of difficult losing seasons, so let's jump ahead to my Tulsa vs. UAB predictions and college football picks for Saturday, Nov. 2.
Tulsa vs UAB Odds, Lines, Pick
| Tulsa Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -118 | 57.5 -108 / -112 | +120 |
| UAB Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -102 | 57.5 -108 / -112 | -140 |
- Tulsa vs UAB spread: UAB -3
- Tulsa vs UAB over/under: 57.5 points
- Tulsa vs UAB moneyline: UAB -140
- Tulsa vs. UAB pick: Over 57.5
My UAB vs. Tulsa best bet is on both teams to go over the total, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Tulsa vs UAB Betting Preview
Tulsa Football
Tulsa is coming off of a dramatic second-half comeback win at home last week against UTSA. Down 35-7 at the half and 42-17 late in the third quarter, the Tulsa offense came to life and scored four touchdowns in the final 20 minutes of action.
Cooper Legas came into the game in relief of starting quarterback Kirk Francis and completed numerous deep shots. When all was said and done, Legas racked up 333 passing yards and five touchdowns on just 16 completions.
Kamdyn Benjamin had three touchdown catches in the second half, the last of which gave Tulsa the lead and completed the comeback with one minute remaining.
This was a feel-good win, but there were still some glaring concerns for the Golden Hurricane defense.
The stop unit surrendered 546 yards and 45 points against UTSA, and the Roadrunners left points on the field in the first half as they were stopped on downs twice inside Tulsa's 25-yard line.
UAB Football
UAB has lost six consecutive games, and the end of head coach Trent Dilfer's tenure appears to be nearing.
UAB was non-competitive in its past three outings but did put up more of a fight last week in a road loss to South Florida. The Blazers led the game in the fourth quarter behind solid play from quarterback Jalen Kitna, who threw for 384 yards and two touchdowns.
A consistent theme for UAB's offense played out again, as the Blazers had to settle for three field goals in the red zone.
That spoiled a solid performance from UAB in which the Blazers outgained USF by 130 yards and held a double-digit lead into the third quarter.
Tulsa vs UAB Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Tulsa and UAB match up statistically:
Tulsa Offense vs. UAB Defense
 | Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 105 | 131 | |
| Line Yards | 54 | 134 | |
| Pass Success | 123 | 59 | |
| Havoc | 77 | 131 | |
| Finishing Drives | 71 | 106 | |
| Quality Drives | 114 | 129 | |
UAB Offense vs. Tulsa Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 27 | 21 | |
| Line Yards | 28 | 49 | |
| Pass Success | 71 | 130 | |
| Havoc | 122 | 84 | |
| Finishing Drives | 127 | 122 | |
| Quality Drives | 98 | 98 |  |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 82 | 109 |
| PFF Coverage | 128 | 104 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 83 | 55 |
| Middle 8 | 126 | 108 |
| Seconds per Play | 25.2 (30) | 24.7 (23) |
| Rush Rate | 51% (76) | 49% (109) |
Tulsa vs UAB Prediction
I see value on the total, which is lower than a couple of key numbers. I'm playing over 57.5, as both of these defenses are really bad at creating Havoc and Finishing Drives.
I struggle to trust either of these teams to consistently get the stops required to cash this under.
Tulsa ranks 129th nationally in Defensive EPA Per Play surrendered and 106th in Defensive Finishing Drives. The Hurricane are allowing 35.9 points and 439 yards per game while also allowing 6.4 yards per play.
The defense has also struggled up front with a weak pass rush that has generated only 13 sacks this season.
Meanwhile, Kitna is starting to gain momentum, and this will easily be the worst secondary he has faced this season. UAB ranks 37th in Offensive Success Rate, and its offensive line should be able to hold up against a weaker Tulsa front seven.
The Tulsa offense should have the upper hand lining up against the UAB defensive front that struggles to generate Havoc. UAB's defensive line has been pushed around most of the season, so expect Tulsa to find success on the ground against UAB, a team that ranks 109th in Defensive EPA Per Rush.
Additionally, Tulsa ranks 35th in Offensive Passing Explosiveness generated and should have success in this matchup.
Lastly, both of these teams have really bad red-zone defenses.
Tulsa has allowed 24-of-26 red-zone possessions to result in points with 21 of those going for touchdowns. UAB has given up points on 28-of-29 red-zone possessions with 21 touchdowns.
With each of these offenses among the top 40 in tempo, we should see a ton of plays and plenty of red-zone chances. These defenses have performed poorly in the red zone all season, and I'll look for that trend to continue here.
Pick: Over 57.5
Tulsa vs UAB Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch
| Location: | Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL |
| Date: | Saturday, Nov. 2 |
| Kickoff Time: | 2:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN+ |
Tulsa takes on UAB on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Tulsa vs UAB Betting Trends
- 94% of bets and 98% of the money on the moneyline are on UAB to win outright
- 48% of bets and 91% of the money are on the over
Betting trends via our live, updating NCAAF public betting & money percentages page.
Tulsa vs UAB Weather
